Scenario:The elementary school librarian was reflecting on how to inform teachers on the campus that she was available to collaborate on lessons. The librarian approached the principal to let her know that she would be sitting in on grade level planning to offer ideas and resources. The 2nd grade teachers were meeting in the lead teacher's room going over assessment data when one of the teachers commented on how her students were struggling with inferencing. The librarian realized this was a great opportunity to introduce the idea of collaboration. She told the teacher that she would be willing to collaborate on a lesson plan that addressed inferencing. She explained that by working together they could come up with twice as many ideas. She also told the teacher that having two teachers teaching the lesson would give the students a greater opportunity to learn the material. The teacher was very willing to have the help and they agreed to meet the very next day during the teacher's conference time. When they met the next day, they came up with a schedule and decided their goal would be to create a lesson that incorporates co-teaching effectively—an idea that could be shared with the 2nd grade team. Additionally, they discussed comprehension as the focused learning objective. The interest is building students ability to look for clues in the text in order to make inferences, and not depend solely on background knowledge—even though both background knowledge and text evidence are needed to make inferences.
Hurray for school librarians who are reflective practitioners! Is there a way to integrate inquiry into this lesson/unit!
Preparation
Implementation
Grade:Second-grade
Curriculum Standards:
2.1.A determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (I would eliminate this one since the teachers are determining the purpose.)
2.9.F make and explain inferences from texts such as determining important ideas and causes and effects, making predictions, and drawing conclusions
2.10.C support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from text
Fig. 19 D make inferences about text using textual evidence to support understanding
AASL standards:
1.1.2:
Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.6:
Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
2.1.2:
Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
Performance Indicators/Learning Objectives:
Student will be able to complete an graphic organizer.
Student will be able to make a prediction using background knowledge. (There is a difference between making predictions and drawing inferences. Which is most appropriate for 2nd-grade students?)
Student will be able to support their conclusion using text evidence.
Students will know the difference between background knowledge and text evidence.
Where do these verbs fall on Bloom's taxonomy?
Relevance:
Students are initially engaged with the backpack introduction. Students can relate with losing a backpack or finding a backpack.
They are being asked to help. In the small group activities the letters are written to them and they take on the role of detective to infer where the teacher/librarian might have visited. How will this help them in life outside of school? Example: Sign says: "Beware of Dog" - no dog is visible but what can the child infer when their baseball goes into that backyard?
Evaluation Criteria/Tool(s): (Who will be responsible for evaluation?)
Rubric—self assessment.
Students will be able to do a checklist to determine if answers were based on prior knowledge or text evidence. T-chart and Venn diagram can also be used.
What will the educators evaluate? Will both educators evaluate students' work?
Resources Required:
Various brochures (museum, parks, zoo, theme parks, etc.)
Backpack with various items (Chapter book, journal, toys, etc.)
Brainpopjr.com—make inferences
Materials Required:
graphic organizer - T-Chart
2 backpacks filled with items for a detective mystery
Graphic organizers (T-chart, Venn)
Rubric
Techonology Tools:
Projector
Computer
Document Camera
Lesson Outline (indicating instructional responsibilities of one or both educators and responsibilities for gathering or creating resources):
Whole group:
Brain Pop
Small Group:
Students are divided in half between the Librarian and Teacher
Librarian:
The Librarian takes out the backpack and tells the student that she found this backpack and she needs to figure out who it belongs to. The librarian tells students that they are going to have to be detectives and look for clues. (Some examples: The backpack is pink so it probably belongs to a girl, there is a chapter book in the bag so it must belong to someone who is a good reader, etc.) The librarian models thoughts out loud and they allow time for students to make their own inferences.
(Librarian and teacher prepare a backpack ahead of time. The librarian brings backpack and both teacher and librarian bring items to put in the bag.)
Don't forget the "think-alouds" in which the educators share their background knowledge and the evidence in the "text"/backpack.
Teacher:
Students read a postcard or letter with clues about where the teacher visited. Students look through brochures (museum, zoo, theme park, etc.) and use the clues in the letter to figure out where the teacher went. They fill in Chart on one side places visited, and on the other side, text evidence to support or not support that being the correct place.
Teacher prepares letters. Example: Dear student, I had so much fun on my Spring Break vacation. I saw many different kinds of birds....
Librarian provides brochures. (Can be obtained at hotel lobbies.)
Whole Group Read Aloud - Venn (Background/Text Evidence)
When the class comes together for the read aloud, both teachers take turns reading and modeling their thinking as they fill in the Venn diagram. (example: one can think of only their background knowledge and the other can correct them and say yes but the text says …)
What is the read-aloud selection? What is the curricular connection?
Be sure to consult the A.4.2 Rubric regarding "rich resources" for this lesson.
Scenario: The elementary school librarian was reflecting on how to inform teachers on the campus that she was available to collaborate on lessons. The librarian approached the principal to let her know that she would be sitting in on grade level planning to offer ideas and resources. The 2nd grade teachers were meeting in the lead teacher's room going over assessment data when one of the teachers commented on how her students were struggling with inferencing. The librarian realized this was a great opportunity to introduce the idea of collaboration. She told the teacher that she would be willing to collaborate on a lesson plan that addressed inferencing. She explained that by working together they could come up with twice as many ideas. She also told the teacher that having two teachers teaching the lesson would give the students a greater opportunity to learn the material. The teacher was very willing to have the help and they agreed to meet the very next day during the teacher's conference time. When they met the next day, they came up with a schedule and decided their goal would be to create a lesson that incorporates co-teaching effectively—an idea that could be shared with the 2nd grade team. Additionally, they discussed comprehension as the focused learning objective. The interest is building students ability to look for clues in the text in order to make inferences, and not depend solely on background knowledge—even though both background knowledge and text evidence are needed to make inferences.
Hurray for school librarians who are reflective practitioners! Is there a way to integrate inquiry into this lesson/unit!
Curriculum Standards:
2.1.A determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (I would eliminate this one since the teachers are determining the purpose.)
2.9.F make and explain inferences from texts such as determining important ideas and causes and effects, making predictions, and drawing conclusions
2.10.C support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from text
Fig. 19 D make inferences about text using textual evidence to support understanding
AASL standards:
1.1.2:
Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.6:
Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
2.1.2:
Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
Performance Indicators/Learning Objectives:
Student will be able to complete an graphic organizer.
Student will be able to make a prediction using background knowledge. (There is a difference between making predictions and drawing inferences. Which is most appropriate for 2nd-grade students?)
Student will be able to support their conclusion using text evidence.
Students will know the difference between background knowledge and text evidence.
Where do these verbs fall on Bloom's taxonomy?
Relevance:
Students are initially engaged with the backpack introduction. Students can relate with losing a backpack or finding a backpack.
They are being asked to help. In the small group activities the letters are written to them and they take on the role of detective to infer where the teacher/librarian might have visited.
How will this help them in life outside of school? Example: Sign says: "Beware of Dog" - no dog is visible but what can the child infer when their baseball goes into that backyard?
Evaluation Criteria/Tool(s): (Who will be responsible for evaluation?)
Rubric—self assessment.
Students will be able to do a checklist to determine if answers were based on prior knowledge or text evidence. T-chart and Venn diagram can also be used.
What will the educators evaluate? Will both educators evaluate students' work?
Resources Required:
Various brochures (museum, parks, zoo, theme parks, etc.)
Backpack with various items (Chapter book, journal, toys, etc.)
Brainpopjr.com—make inferences
Materials Required:
graphic organizer - T-Chart
2 backpacks filled with items for a detective mystery
Graphic organizers (T-chart, Venn)
Rubric
Techonology Tools:
Projector
Computer
Document Camera
Whole group:
Brain Pop
Small Group:
Students are divided in half between the Librarian and Teacher
Librarian:
The Librarian takes out the backpack and tells the student that she found this backpack and she needs to figure out who it belongs to. The librarian tells students that they are going to have to be detectives and look for clues. (Some examples: The backpack is pink so it probably belongs to a girl, there is a chapter book in the bag so it must belong to someone who is a good reader, etc.) The librarian models thoughts out loud and they allow time for students to make their own inferences.
(Librarian and teacher prepare a backpack ahead of time. The librarian brings backpack and both teacher and librarian bring items to put in the bag.)
Don't forget the "think-alouds" in which the educators share their background knowledge and the evidence in the "text"/backpack.
Teacher:
Students read a postcard or letter with clues about where the teacher visited. Students look through brochures (museum, zoo, theme park, etc.) and use the clues in the letter to figure out where the teacher went. They fill in Chart on one side places visited, and on the other side, text evidence to support or not support that being the correct place.
Teacher prepares letters. Example: Dear student, I had so much fun on my Spring Break vacation. I saw many different kinds of birds....
Librarian provides brochures. (Can be obtained at hotel lobbies.)
Whole Group Read Aloud - Venn (Background/Text Evidence)
When the class comes together for the read aloud, both teachers take turns reading and modeling their thinking as they fill in the Venn diagram. (example: one can think of only their background knowledge and the other can correct them and say yes but the text says …)
What is the read-aloud selection? What is the curricular connection?
Be sure to consult the A.4.2 Rubric regarding "rich resources" for this lesson.